Rzlet-s



Nu. 609,262. Patented Aug. l6, I898.

W. H. BLACKFURD.

BUBIAL CASKET.

(Application filed Mar. 2, 1898.)

(No Model.)

flttorney m: Nongus PETERS co. immauma, WASHINGTON, a, a

lTE

Prion.

WILLIAM H. BLAOKFORD, on .DETRONIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE DETROITGASKET COMPANY, on SAME PLACE.

BU RlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,262, dated August16, 1898.

Application filed March 2, 1898. Serial No- 67Z, 295. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BLACK- FORD, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Burial-Caskets; and -Ideclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. Myinvention has for its object certain new and useful improvements in aburial-casket; and it consists of the construction, combination, andarrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a viewin perspective illustrating my invention, showing the cover in closedposition. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the cover in openposition. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section showing the cover in closedposition. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the cover in opened position,and Fig. 5 is a similar view showing portions of the cover in closedposition and other portions in open position. l

I carry out my invention as follows:

In the drawings, A represents the body of the casket. The cover of thecasket is formed of folding panels, said panels preferably arranged intwo sets, each set preferably consisting of double leaves-or panels,(indicated at A A and A A Each set of cover portions or panels is hingedto the body of the casket, as indicated at a, the double leaves A A andA A being respectively hinged together longitudinally, as indicated ata..

The leaves or panels A A and A A are shown extending the whole length ofthe casket, preferably, although my invention is not limited to makingthem of full length. The sets of cover portions or panels areconstructed and arranged to rise above their respective hingesct inclosed position and meeting in closed position at the longitudinalcenter of the casket.

The cover illustrated in the drawings is made of curved form, presentinga neat and tasteful appearance; but I do not limit myself vention. Theextremities of the body are provided with end portions B B. These endportions are preferably hinged, as indicated at b, to the upper edge ofthe extremities of the body, as indicated in the drawings. I do not,however, limit myself tohinging these end pieces 13'. When the cover isclosed, these end piecesB B project upward above the body of the casket,the same being their normal position If hinged, they may either be leftstanding upward when the cover is opened, as indicated, for example, atthe right-hand end of the casket shown in Fig. 2, or the end pieces maybe folded down when the casket is open, as indicated at the left hand inFig. 2 and also in Fig. 4. The cover of the casket, it will beperceived, is independent of these end pieces.

It will be observed that by this construc= tion of the casket I amenabled to dispense with the cove commonly employed, as the two panelportions of the casket may be hinged on each side directlyupon or to theupper edge of the sides of the body. It will be understood, of course,that the casket may be upholstered in any desired manner.

The casket so constructed is in the nature of a shrine casket, socalled, and the cover portions may be hingedin many diiferent positionswhen open. Thus the front portion of the cover may fold entirely downbefore the front of the body, while the rear portion of the cover maystand partially upward, as indicated in Fig. 1 and at the left of Fig.5, or both portions of the cover may fold downward below the upper edgeof the body to the front and rear, as indicated in Fig. 4. Eitherportion may simply hang downward, as indicated at the left of Fig. at,or the lower of the unfolded or opened panels may rest upon a moldingtoward the bottom of the casket, such a molding being indicated at a ,f

The end pieces B B, it will be seen, close the casket at the extremitiesof the cover and preferably close against the extremities of the cover,as shown. The end pieceslB are preferably rabbeted to form a shoulder aupon which the adjacent extremities of the panels rest, the portion ofthe end pieces B projecting above said shoulder closing against theextremities of the panels.

To hold the panels in firm engagement with the end pieces and to preventthe end pieces, if hinged, from displacement, any suitable means may bee1nployedas,for instance,the shoulder a may be provided with an orifice(indicated at a to receive a dowel-pin 0; upon the panels in hingedconnection with the body of the casket. The panels hinged together maybe preferably beveled at their adjacent edges, as indicated at a Such aconstruction will serve to support the inner panel of each set in raisedposition, (indicated in Figs. 2 and 5,) if desired.

What I claim as my invention isg 1. In a burial-casket the combinationof a casket-body, a cover formed of two sets of panels, each set ofpanels consisting of two leaves jointedly connected at their adjacentedges and having the outer leaves of each set hinged directly to thesides of the body, respectively, said sets of panels normally projectingupward and inward from the upper edges of the body above and over thetop of the body and meeting at the longitudinal center of the cover, andarranged to fold outwardly from the upper edge of said body at the frontand rear thereof,whereby either of said sets of panels may fold over anddepend alongside the adjacent upright surface of the body, and endpieces secured to the ends of the body to close the casket at theeXtre1ni ties of the cover, substantially as set forth.

2. A burial-casket having in combination a casket-body, a cover formedof two sets of folding panels, each of said sets of panels consistingoftwo leaves jointedly connected at their adjacent edges and having theouter leaves of each set of panels hinged directly to the upper edge ofcasket-body at the front and rear thereof, said sets of panels normallypro jecting upward and inward from the upper edges of the body and overthe top of the body and meeting at the longitudinal center of the cover,said sets of panels arranged to fold outwardly from said body at thefront and rear thereof, whereby either of said sets of panels may foldover and depend alongside the adjacent upright surface of the body, andend pieces hinged to the upper edges of the ends of said body to closethe casket at the ends of the cover, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

WVILLIAM l-I. BLACKFORD. Witnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, MARY HIoKEY.

